Entry, Exit Gates Of Tilak Nagar Metro Station Closed

Panic gripped the residents of several parts of Delhi after rumours of violence led to the Delhi Metro Rail Corporation (DMRC) shutting down entry and exit gates of Nangloi, Surajmal Stadium, Badarpur, Tughlakabad, Uttam Nagar west and Nawada metro stations for a small duration. The Delhi Police and AAP leaders denied any incident and appealed people to remain calm. "A rumour has been noticed that there is some tension in Khyala-Raghubir Nagar area of West District. There is no truth behind it. All are requested to keep calm as the situation is absolutely normal & peaceful," Deputy Commissioner of Police (DCP) West Deepak Purohit said.

"There are some rumours regarding some communal tension in Tilak Nagar and Khyala areas. It is intimated that there is no tension in Tilak Nagar and Khyala and the whole west district area. Nothing to worry about," he added.

Police said some "unsubstantiated reports" of tension in southeast and west districts were circulated on social media.

"It is to reiterate that these are all rumours. Don't pay attention to such rumours. Delhi Police is closely monitoring accounts spreading rumours and taking action," they said, adding that rumours about tension in Dwarka and Badarpur areas were also "unsubstantiated".

The DCPs of some police districts and station house officers (SHOs) of police stations took to Twitter to assure people that their areas were peaceful and normal. 

However, shopkeepers downed shutters and vendors closed weekly markets as people rushed home early in several areas, including Subhash Nagar, Tilak Nagar, Janakpuri and Khyala areas in west Delhi.

The violence in Jaffrabad, Maujpur, Babarpur, Chand Bagh, Shiv Vihar, Bhajan Pura, Yamuna Vihar areas of northeast Delhi has claimed at least 45 lives and left over 200 injured. A large number of properties have been damaged. Frenzied mobs torched houses, shops, vehicles, a petrol pump and pelted stones at locals and police personnel.

Soon after taking charge on Saturday, acting Delhi Police chief SN Shrivastava said his priority is to restore peace and ensure communal harmony in the national capital, which earlier this week witnessed its worst riots in three decades. Shrivastava was given the additional charge of Delhi Police commissioner with effect from Sunday, following Amulya Patnaik's retirement.

Police have also started a massive outreach programme and senior officers have been meeting and speaking with people from every community in order to build confidence among them.

The political blame-game continues with both Congress and the BJp attacking each other over the riots. On Friday, senior Congress leader Kaoil Sibal said that, “Prime Minister Narendra Modi woke up after 69 hours and appealed for peace and calm in Delhi. He should have done it earlier. But Home Minister Amit Shah made no such appeal. The Home Minister should have visited the affected areas.”

With PTI Inputs